Dance and Theater at The Crefeld School are rooted in a progressive education model of performing arts. We lay the foundation with basic skills and techniques in order to empower the students to engage in the creative process. Students often develop their own performance pieces in collaboration with the teacher as well as each other. Their work reflects who they are and what is important to them. While they discover and strengthen their skills, they also learn about collaboration, inspiration, perseverance, and creative risk-taking.
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The Dance program is somatic-based, meaning that we emphasize students' emerging self awareness, and self knowledge, rather than focusing solely on external input and expectations. Through formal dance technique, improvisation, experiential anatomy, and creative process, students develop a 360 degree awareness of dancing. All students are invited to take dance classes, regardless of experience. During the second half of every semester, students work toward a culminating project. They perform their pieces at our public performance, showcasing their work along with students in music and visual arts courses.
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The Theater program is also designed to support students in their self discovery, observation, and understanding of the world around them, as well as collaboration. The classes are ensemble-centered; students learn core acting skills and scene development, through improvisation, writing, and movement exploration. Students learn that improvisation is not only a theater skill, but also a life skill, and that art can be used for social change, as well as entertainment and storytelling. All classes culminate in our public performance.